Monday Message
February 24, 2020 WLWV Student Services 100% for 100%
Inclusive Schools: Learning Together
Recounting Our Journey
Leaning into the Learning
Flexibility is Key
IMPORTANT: Flight Team Training that was supposed to be this week has been CANCELLED. Please watch for a new date coming soon!
Learning Specialists Dig Into Learning at Cycles of Inquiry
If we:
Bring teachers together to learn with and from each other in true cycles of inquiry - AND
Focus our learning within specific curricular resources, tools and structures - AND
Apply this learning with a few students - AND
Engage in a cycle of inquiry where we examine data, use specific tools or structures, measure student progress, and reflect on the progress over time - AND
Keep the commitment for teachers short (4 sessions) and focused - AND
Create an environment where teachers feel safe and supported in their learning -
Connecting
Sharing Ideas
Learning Together
School Counselors: Collaborative Problem-Solving
Ready for a deeper dive into Co-Teaching using UDL? Here is a webinar on the subject!
Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Plan
According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth aged 15-24 in the United States. The fastest rising age group for suicide completion is youth 10-14 years old. In Oregon, Clackamas County has the highest rate of suicide, higher than both Washington and Multnomah Counties. This is a crucial issue in our community and we believe that our schools have an important role to play in preventing suicide. Our district created a Suicide Prevention Task Force in 2013. This multi-disciplinary group was charged with understanding the scope of the issue, researching evidenced-based practices in suicide prevention, creating a comprehensive plan, and monitoring implementation of that plan. In 2018-19, we brought our Suicide Prevention team back together to do another comprehensive look at our processes, documentation, partnerships and professional learning.
This winter, in response to Oregon’s new law, Senate Bill 52, our Task Force again convened to update our plan and processes. The current iteration of our suicide prevention plan focuses on four key areas: Wellness Promotion, Education, Intervention, Post-vention
In addition to these areas of focus, we are putting particular emphasis on supporting youth most at risk, community partnerships, and data-based decision-making.
1. Wellness Promotion
The most important work we do in suicide prevention is to help young people strengthen their protective factors. Increasing healthy building blocks as outlined in the 40 Developmental Assets framework, represents the most powerful and upstream work we do. Specifically, having a caring school climate where students feel connectedness and belonging reduces the risk of suicide. Specific areas of focus in the area of wellness promotion include:
- Inclusive and Equitable Learning Communities
- Promoting belonging within the community
- Establishing connectedness with adults and peers
- Engagement in academic and co-curricular activities
- Balanced nutrition
- Regular exercise
2. Education
This aspect of the plan focuses on teaching specific skills to strengthen social emotional learning as well as providing information specifically around suicide prevention. The plan contemplates the needs of both students, staff, and the community in this area. Here are some of the many activities in this area:
- Primary: Second Steps Curriculum, Zones of Regulation Curriculum, Circles
- Middle: Second Steps Curriculum, Wellness Curriculum, Circles
- High: Wellness Curriculum, Circles, RESPONSE Suicide Prevention Curriculum
- This year we will be adding a new assessment tool of social emotional learning: Panorama Surveys •
- Crisis Line Campaigns • SafeOregon Tipline, Lines for Life, Clackamas County Crisis, The Trevor Project
- For Staff • Social Emotional Learning through Trauma Informed Practices • RESPONSE Suicide Prevention Curriculum for HS staff
- For Community • Parent Education Nights by WLWV Social Workers • Calm, Connected Parenting • Anxiety 101 • Anxiety 102 • Movie nights, such as Screenagers
Intervention focuses on identifying students at risk of suicide and helping them access appropriate supports.
- ASIST Training • Applied Suicide IntervenFon Skills, a 2 Day workshop providing a deep level of assessment and intervention skills • Endorsed by the Oregon State and Clackamas County’s suicide prevention plans • All WLWV School Counselors are trained at this level
- QPR Training • Question, Persuade, Refer; a 90 minute workshop providing the “CPR” of suicide intervention • Aligns with Clackamas County’s suicide prevention plan • WLWV has 4 district trainers who provide QPR workshops to ANY WLWV staff on every Professional Growth Wednesday and other dates as needed Goal for ALL WLWV staff to be trained within 3 years
- Clear District Procedures • Clear flowchart for staff to follow regarding any concern that a student may be at suicide risk • Regularly reviewed by all mental health related personnel • Developed in consultation with Clackamas County Suicide Prevention Coordinator •
- School-based supports • Individual check-ins with Counselor or Social Worker • Small groups using evidence-based materials run by Social Workers or School Psychologists
- Referrals and partnerships with mental health therapists • Referral lists created by Social Workers that include all therapists in the area, areas of specialty, languages spoken, insurance accepted. • All School Counselors have these lists to provide to families as needed • School Counselors refer families to support through Social Workers if families are experiencing barriers or needing support in navigating the mental health system. •
- Crisis resources • Collaboration and referral to Clackamas County Urgent Mental Health Walk-in Clinic • Collaboration with Willamette Falls Emergency Department
This area of the plan focuses on how we support a student following a significant risk of suicide and on how we support all students, staff, and community following a suicide completion.
- Re-Entry Supports • Collaborative and consistent safety planning with student, family, and outside mental health provider (when applicable) • Regular monitoring and check-ins • Increased communication with mental health provider
- Post-vention Supports • Flight Team Crisis Response • Comprehensive response aper any tragic death or event • Includes communication support and guidance for the administrative team, care for staff, and organized counseling supports of students • Students at risk are planned for with specific check-ins and monitoring •
- CONNECT Response Planning • Response planning that specifically deals with the communication and support needs following a death by suicide.
Wellness Promotion
Not pictured: School Counselor Mollie Hyman spoke about our emphasis on education to teach students social emotional skills and resilience, in particular giving information about the Second Steps curriculum.
Intervention
Post-Vention
Most Successful Immunization Year Ever! Due to Hard Work of Nursing Team, All WLWV Students Cleared to Attend School Within 2 Days of State Exclusion!
Nurse Josh Harrel Draws Up a Dosage
Entire Nursing Team Collaborates with County Health for Immunization Clinic
Nurse Michelle Bloom Administering a Vaccine
New Member of Our Leadership Team
It is a pleasure to announce Lauren Page Brigsby as the new Director of Special Education for the West Linn-Wilsonville School District. Candidates who interviewed late last week completed an interview before a committee comprised of teachers, learning specialists, parent, administrators, assistant superintendents and administrative assistants. The interview included a task that asked candidates to prepare and present at our District's New Teacher Welcome on what is most important for teachers to know about special education services. Candidates then engaged in a facilitation task to talk with a team of staff regarding concerns they have about a situation in their school and develop next steps. Additionally, each candidate was asked to respond in writing to a parent complaint on the services their child is receiving from our special education team. Following a debrief of all those interviewed, final candidates were brought forward for a subsequent interview with Superintendent Dr. Ludwig and other district administrators. We are proud of this comprehensive interview process and are delighted to welcome Lauren to our district.
Ms. Brigsby comes to us from Portland Public Schools where she has served most recently in the role of Assistant Director of Special Education. Lauren has a deep knowledge of instructional practices and holds a M.Ed. in Special Education from University of Oregon. During her career she has served as an autism specialist, teacher on special assignment and special education teacher at a primary school. She received her administrative license from Portland State University.
Evident in Lauren's interview was her strong belief in all students and their ability to learn and contribute in thoughtful and meaningful ways. She expressed a desire to be a part of the West Linn-Wilsonville community where she looks forward to leading the district work in special education.
Lauren will begin working with us on July 1.We hope you will join us in welcoming Lauren to West Linn- Wilsonville School District.
Upcoming Events:
- Circles of Support Work Group, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1:00-3:00, District Office
- Inclusive Schools Leadership Team, Friday, Feb. 28, 12:30-3:30, District Office
- Parent Collaboration Group, Monday, March 2, 5:00-6:30, District Office
- Screening of Intelligent Lives, Tuesday, March 3, 6:15, Lake Theater (SOLD OUT)
- Eval Team Meeting, Thursday, March 5, 11:00-1:00, District Office
- School Counselors, Thursday, March 12, 7:30-9:30 District Office
- Speech Language Pathologists, Friday, March 13, 7:30-9:30 District Office
- Core & Eval Team, Friday, March 13, 12:00-2:00 District Office
- QPR Training, Wednesday, March 18, CREST
- Motor Team, Thursday, March 19, 2:00-3:30 District Office
Questions? Ideas? Out of the box thinking? Concerns? Reach out!
Email: spencerj@wlwv.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.wlwv.k12.or.us/domain/43
Location: 22210 Southwest Stafford Road, Tualatin, OR, USA
Phone: (503)673-7026
Twitter: @jsiiams